Improvement in lubricators for steam-engines



S. E; WHITNEY.

Improvement in Lubricator for Steam Engines- N0,12 4,407 Patented March 5,1872;

Inventor Witnesses:

ldttorneys.

SCEVA E. WHITNEY, OF CANASERAGA, NE\V YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN LUBRICATORS FOR STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,407, dated March 5, 1872. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ScEvA E. WHITNEY, of Oanaseraga, in the county of Allegany, and in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam- Uylinder Oiler; and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a steamcylinder oiler, as will be hereinaiter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of the entire oiler, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the valve-stem in the same.

The oil-chamber is composed of a glass cylinder, A, with lower head or bottom B and upper head or cap 0, fastened together by bolts E E, as shown, both of said heads being made of metal. The upper head or cap 0 is concave on the inside, forming a condensingchamber, D. The joints between the glass cylinder A and metal heads B O are packed with oil-proof rubber gaskets a a, recessed into the heads, as shown. By making the cylinder A forming the side walls of the oil-chamber, of glass or other transparent material, the engineer is enabled to see the state of the oil in the chamber, and hence regulate the flow of the same with precision and certainty. In the cap G is screwed or otherwise attached a bowl, G, into which the oil is poured to be admitted into the oil-chamber. The opening through which the oil is admitted into the oil-chamber from the bowl is closed by a valve, 7), from underneath, said valve being held to its seat by the pressure of steam admitted into the condensing-chamber. The stem or spindle d of the valve 1) is fluted longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 2, to facilitate the passage of oil to the oil-chamber. I represents the feed-tube, extending upward from the barrel J, and the oil-chamber is screwed onto said tube, so that a collar, 6, in the center, on the under side of the head B, will come close to and against the upper side of the barrel, the feed-tube I extending upward through the center of the oilchamber. On the upper end of feed-tube I is screwed a sleeve, K, by means of which the feed-tube may be extended upward as high as may be desired. This feed-tube has an extension o'r continuation, I, below the barrel J, to be screwed in the place where wanted, and thus allow the steam to pass upward and the oil downward through said feed-tube. The opening in the upper end of the feed-tube I should enter the condensing chamber D above the top of the glass cylinder A, thereby preventing currents of heated steam striking the glass. This is accomplished by keeping the oiler filled to the top of the feed-tube but this precaution is, however, only necessary when all parts are cold, as upon starting fires in the engine. Through the collar e and the top of the barrel J are two passages, h and it, one on each side of the feed-tube 1, leading from the bottom of the oil-chamber. K represents the plug passing through the barrel J, and provided with a handle, L, for turning. Through this plug are two passages, t and m, at right angles with each other. Either of these must be used separately by varying the position of the plug. When the passage '5 is vertical, it forms a connection between the feed-tube I and its continuation I, and makes acontinuous opening between the cylinder and the oiler. At the same time the passage m has no communication with the tube I but when said passage m is on its vertical axis, as shown in the drawing, it communicates with the bottom of the oilchamber and the cylinder by way of the passage h and tube I. Through the end of the plug K is a horizontal passage, 8, from the inner end of which are two passages, a and 1), through the plug, said passages being at right angles with each other and with the passages. \Vhen the passages in are on their vertical axes, communication is established between the cylinder and the outside of the oiler by way of the tubes and passages I, i, I, In, a, and s. This arrangement of openings is for the purpose of allowing steam to pass into the oil-chamber, and thence to the exterior, thereby cleaning the oil-chamber of sediment. When the passage 19 is on its vertical axis, all other openings are closed 5 70, p, and 8 alone draining the oil-chamber of condensed steam or oil, as the case may be. Supposing that the plug K is turned in the manner shown in the drawing, so that the passage on feeds from the base of the oiler; then, by turning the plug one-fourth around,thepassagetwill be brought into position to feed over the top of the feedtube; advancing another quarter turn, the passage 19 is brought in position to drain the oilchamber, and still another turn brings the passages i and a in position to clean the oilchamber, as above mentioned. WVhen the steam, passing through the feed-tube I, enters the chamber 1), it condenses and passes down to the bottom of the oil-chamber, displacing the oil, and causing it to flow over the top of the tube I.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- l. The fluted valve-spindle d, for facilitating the passage of oil from the bowl G to the oilchamber, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The plug K, provided with the passages 'i, m, n, p, and s, all arranged substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. A steam-cylinder oiler, constructed and arranged, substantially as herein set forth, so as to feed the oil either from the top or bottom of the oil-chamber, at the option of the operator, as shown and described.

4. The combination of the oil chamber, formed of the glass cylinder A and heads B G, with condensing-chamber I), the interior feed-tube I, with adjustable screw-sleeve K, and the bowl G, having a valve, 1), with fluted valve-stem d, said valve closing the passage from the bowl when the steam is admitted into the oil-chamber, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

5. The combination of the oiler AB C, bowl G, valve 1) with fluted stein d, barrel J, feedtubes I I with adjustable sleeve K, passages h k, and the plug K with passages i, 122, 11,19, ands, all constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of December, 1871.

SGEVA E. WHITNEY.

Witnesses O. L. EVERT, FAY MILLER. 

